I attended the last Democrats meeting at Sharp Park Golf Course featuring Congresswoman Jackie Speier. Under the question and answer period, I asked about the six veterans that died in Penn State of Legionaries Disease and the veterans at Palo Alto that were given the wrong eye drops and lost their vision. It was both in the papers and on TV and the directors of these hospitals getting bonuses? For what? Covering up? I didn’t get the answer I expected. She said simply that doctors make mistakes and that at one time the VA was negligent, probably referring to the Walter Reed scandal, but things are improving. I have to say that Ft. Miley in San Francisco has improved the buildings and parking lots, but I would rather have our tax money going to improve the quality of life for our veterans. Too many are hooked on pain pills. I have been attending the veterans collaborative sessions at Moffett Field, and I am happy to say they are trying to implement more holistic approaches.

Attending these meetings are not totally a loss. As I was leaving, the president of the Northern California Chapter of American College of Surgeons gave me his card. It’s nice to be heard by someone that seems to have some compassion.

On another note, Ms. Speier mentioned Pope Paul and his recent remarks regarding abortion, homosexuality and contraceptives. She finds it more meaningful attending Sunday Mass. Please leave religion out of politics, because not all of us took his remarks that he approves of these practices. What he was trying to convey was that his flock should focus more on evangelizing, working for the poor and follow in Christ’s footsteps, and he surely is setting an example by living in a hotel room, driving an old car someone gave him and not wearing those $6,000 red shoes. Amen.

Therese M. Dyer

Linda Mar

Rate increase

Editor:

Here we go again, another public service monopoly coming after our pocketbooks. First came all the local school district bonds, then came the proposed utility tax increase to be voted on in November, and now the North County Water District is proposing a 7.3 percent rate increase.

As a Pacifica homeowner, I’d like to thank the water district for informing me the cost of living has increased 7.3 percent since 2010. My income has not gone up 7.3 percent nor have the majority of Pacifica homeowners. In fact, many of their wages have gone down. Maybe the district directors should have taken a drive around Pacifica this summer to look at the landscape of the homeowners who they want to charge a 7.3 percent increase.

Most of our front yards are brown because of lack of water. Not very attractive! This might have given the district a clue that the rates are too high for Pacificans’ budgets even before a rate increase.

I think a 7.3 percent increase is outrageous, and homeowners should protest it. It’s not easy to protest because the North Coast Water District wants you to mail in your protest. They know most homeowners will not take the time to write and mail in their protest, guaranteeing them of fewer than 51 percent protesting and the increase to go through. Even if you read the letter that came in the mail, most Pacificans are busy with families, work and life to respond through the mail. Allowing protests via e-mail, voice mail, Twitter, etc. would greatly increase the chances of a 51 percent protest because homeowners could immediately send in their protest while it’s still fresh in their minds.

Your written protest must be received prior to the close of the October 16, 2013 public hearing. You must include a description of the parcel (parcel number) or district account number. Protests are limited to one per parcel. Send written protest to: North Coast County Water District, 2400 Francisco Blvd, PO Box 1039, Pacifica, Ca 94044, Attention: Water Rate Increase Protest.

This is not the time to be increasing taxes and fees in Pacifica. As our income has stagnated, we cannot afford the increases. When our incomes rise would be a better time to discuss increases.

Saul Villegas

Linda Mar

Re: Syria

Editor:

Regarding Syria, the media has not told Assad’s side of the story. In the first place this is a sectarian religious war. On Assad’s side are the Alawites (followers of Ali), a Muslim sect that broke away from Sunni Islam a thousand years ago and has had to fight the Sunni, who have accused it of apostasy, ever since. Also, Assad protects the million and a half Syrian Christians, a sizable religious minority, and is supported by the Druze, another religious minority as well as by secularists. The rebels are made up entirely of Sunni Muslims, many of whom are Al Qaeda, and not even Syrians, and who have no intention of establishing a democracy that includes Christians and Alawites. Our president is providing arms and support to the rebels, thus giving aid and comfort to a group that has declared war on America, killed thousands of Americans, and wants to establish an intolerant theocracy. He is taking sides in a religious war and telling the public, dishonestly, that it is just a political conflict. Why has the media, for years, demonized Assad, glorified the rebels, and avoided telling the truth about the atrocities committed by Al Qaeda and foreign jihadists? Why have they not explained that Syrian religious minorities are fighting for their lives? Who owns our government and media, the Saudis? Saudi Arabia, a vastly wealthy country, aggressively promotes Sunni Islam and for years has had a disproportionate influence in the American government.

Assad has neither harmed nor threatened America, and an attack would transgress Syria’s sovereignty, thus violating international law. It would exacerbate the refugee crisis. It would be a blot on the honor of America.

Dave Mattes

Park Pacifica

Good

Samaritans

Editor:

I was walking my two dogs, Buddy and Betsey today on Palmetto Avenue, enjoying a lovely day. We went into the little park near the golf course, which I now realize is NOT an off leash area, and Buddy slipped through a space in the fence and raced toward the golf course. By the time I could get Betsey and begin pursuit, he had apparently run across the street and headed for the levy to chase squirrels.

Thank goodness he was not hit by a car!

And thanks to two really good guys, he was quickly returned to me. Ernie, a City of Pacifica worker, and Jason of NCCWD spotted him, then spotted me looking for him and very quickly told me where he had headed and got to him before I did and kept him safe for me.

Wow! I am so grateful to these two gentlemen. Their kind and speedy action saved me and Buddy from a dreadful time and gave us back our lovely day.

Thank you sooooo much, Ernie and Jason, for helping us.

Debra Ivey

Pacifica

Economic

consultants?

Editor:

Your tale concerning the consultant’s “economic development plan” neglected to mention how much this consultation cost us. Not much, I hope. It reads like a compilation of letters to the Trib over the past two decades, with borrowings from past consultants’ “plans,” spied with a few daffy new touches. Like the one about encouraging the Eureka Square property owner to more “intensely develop the site,” or the one encouraging the former Pacifica Lumber yard site to “sell to new buyers.” I’ll bet these owners never entertained such novel ideas! At least half these “plans” date back a half decade to the W. Sharp Park Advisory Committee on which I served. Many date back to the previous century. The one about “partner(ing) with the quarry property owner to plan a financially feasible land-use mix that community residents can support” pre-dates our family’s move to Pacifica in the ’80s. In case you missed it, such a plan was developed and rejected by the voters several years back. When I work as a consultant, the expectation is that I’ll come up with something new, something that has a prayer of working. If I were to deliver an already failed scheme, I doubt I’d get paid. Does the Wahlstrom consultant come with a money back guarantee? By the way, the Trib report describes this as a 35-recommendation effort, but the Trib listed 37. Objective No. 7 is listed twice, repeating three items. So that makes it a 34-item report. Can we get a rebate, at least?

John Burks

Sharp Park

FFOG thanks

Editor:

On behalf of the Fog Fest Organizing Group, Inc. – Thank you to all of our fabulous Pacifica community organizations (47 of them!) who work with us each year to produce the Pacific Coast Fog Fest. We certainly couldn’t do it without you!

Thank you to the City of Pacifica, the Public Works Department, the PB&R Department and the Police Department for all their input and support. The Pacifica School District is always so generous in allowing use of the IBL facilities – thank you!

We are so happy and proud to have a number of new Pacifica businesses partner with us this year as sponsors, and they will be thanked via a special ad in this paper very soon. You know who you are and we loved having you and hope you’ll come back!

We thank Shirlee Gibbs for generously allowing us the use of her property for the Pacifica Police vehicle command post and the Red Cross first aid station area. That is an invaluable service to all of us!

The homeowners and businesses in the Palmetto area put up with their neighborhood being taken over by the Fog Fest every year, and we especially want to say thank you to each of you – you’re great!

The hundreds of volunteers, sponsors, community groups, FFOG board of directors and all others who contribute – all of us working together is what it takes to do this every year, and it’s the best ‘happening’ in town, bringing more business, with more socializing and more community celebration, than any other time of the year.

Please accept our gratitude and please come on back to join us in producing the 29th Annual Pacific Coast Fog Fest next year.

Linda Jonas

Pacifica

LBC open house

Editor:

Fellow Pacificans: After a whirlwind of activities at the Little Brown Church during Fog Fest, when more that 800 visited the two day debut of the Pacifica Museum, it’s back to work for the members of the Pacifica Historical Society.

Starting on a continued resolve to raise another $100,000 to complete the Event Center area of the LBC, the October Rummage Sale will be held on Friday and Saturday, October 11-12.

This sale will feature many furniture pieces, recently donated from an estate sale, and on Saturday will be held in the parking lot of the church. Pieces for sale include a new dinette and four chairs, sofas, end tables, queen brass headboard and footboard and other “barely used” items.

The Historians of Pacifica are appreciative of the community support in renovating the LBC, started eight years ago when the City agreed to a contract for this project. Since then there has been continual fundraising efforts that are beginning to show results. The goal is to complete the project in 2014 when the Event Center could be opened to the public, providing a site for meetings, receptions, parties, weddings.

So, join us at the Rummage Sale for “Valued Rummage You Can Afford.”

Marvin Morganti

Pacifica Historical Society

Volunteering

Editor:

Your article in this week’s Tribune: “Ways for retirees to volunteer” neglected to mention volunteering in the schools. I agree that “working with children is especially rewarding,” (in various fields), but it is also true in working with kindergarten children. I have been working with kindergarten children for the past five years at Ortega Elementary School, and it is a most gratifying, enjoyable, and uplifting way to spend your leisure hours. It is also fun to be around cute little kids, helping them do all kinds of projects, read, and write. Even when these same little kids grow up and go on to higher grades, you still see them around and some would come back to visit with you. It certainly is nice to be remembered! I do highly recommend to all you retirees out there – be a school volunteer and you will be so glad you did.

Ruth Mattes

Park Pacifica

Debt ceiling

Editor:

Sunday is a special day in the Alverson household. Precisely at 11 am, I roll my wheelchair into the sun room for a spot of tea and ladyfingers; a tradition that goes back some 53 years. Much to my dismay, my lovely wife suddenly blurts out: ” Gasp! Bill, did you know that we spend much more than we earn and our own household debt is higher than our entire income?”

Without a pause and taking a cue from our liberal politicians, Aida quickly answered her own question: “Obviously the problem is that our credit card limit is not high enough, I guess.” Or, as my nephew, the plumber so often frames it: “Uncle Bill, if you call me in because there is sewerage in your Sun room almost at the ceiling level, what would you like me to do, drain the sewerage or raise the ceiling?”

For those antagonists wishing to pounce back with one of your jolly liberal repartee, please address your concerns to Aida Alverson of Pacifica and Ricardo Villanueva of Mendocino and keep me out of the fray. Thank you very much, bless you all and good luck in choosing sides on the upcoming debate over raising the nation’s debt ceiling.

In closed door talks, Sen. Dianne Feinstein agreed to a major new water policy for California that sells out the Delta and guts Endangered Species Act protections. Sen. Barbara Boxer is fighting the good fight to remove the rider from her comprehensive water infrastructure bill, but it may take a presidential veto.